Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

It's April - and probably time to make the push towards getting fitter. This is a true battle for most of us, but the "SMART" method can really work for most of you.  S. M. A. R. T.  Fitness Goals  Specific - Forget "I need to lose weight". It has to be something like, "I will lose 30 pounds". Measurable - You need numbers here. I use weight and body fat percentage with my clients, both measurable quantities. Achievable - Don't reach too high in the sky. Make the goal reasonable - something you have a decent shot at accomplishing. Relevant -  Is your goal consistent with what you are trying to accomplish, such as gaining strength, energy or self-esteem. Time-Bound - Set a time limit.   "I will lose 30 lbs. by Memorial Day". Don't try this alone. Do this with another person, a small group, or a crowd. Competition helps, as does being accountable to someone other than yourself. Good luck!  

 It is an early winter in the North Country of New Hampshire. Today is a relatively warm (34 degrees) day, and the ground is covered with a few inches of snow . There is limited sun , but overall, it is a "blue bird" day up here. The road I walk is plowed , but a layer of snow is maintained to please the snowmobile crowd . The first part of the walk is a steep climb , so metal cleats and walking sticks are almost a necessity for a guy approaching 82 years of age. I discard sunglasses for the walk since limited sunlight into the eyes is a good thing for positive brain chemistry and therefore, better sleep patterns . Coyote tracks in the snow are everywhere, revealing the increase in their numbers, although they are rarely seen up here - b eing mostly nocturnal and wanting no part of humans. There is an open hunting season, year round for them in New Hampshire, and no bag limit.  I walk year round for pleasure and recreation , but also for weight management and cardiovas...

 Call it evolving- or call it adapting - but  remaining active and viable past the age of eighty requires a boatload of changes.  "You can't tweak your little finger without your brain initiating the action." -- Tom Lane Everything starts with your brain . Having passed the 80-mark almost two years ago, I spend a good amount of time pondering  how I will fill the next day. This is as basic as it gets . Spending eight decades on this earth creates a lot of habits - both good and bad.  Lethargy wants to take you out of the action, and it needs to be fought.  A lazy lifestyle is a killer and will take you out sooner than later. "Lack of curiosity in older folks separates them from the younger set." -- Tom Lane I learn more from my mistakes and those of others than I do from success.   Daily movement  is critical.  Mental stimulation  is vital. Living in the past on previous glories and not getting out of your comfort zone creates a downward...

 Is a person's grip strangth all that important for his or her present quality of life and the avoidance of negative, future outcomes? The answer is a resounding "YES" according to many research studies conducted over the years. I have been deeply involved in the fitness business for 33 years and have recently refocused on measuring the grip strength of my present clients. Beyond helping people to open stubborn jars, a strong grip appears to have a positive effect on an individual's longevity, quality of life, risk of some serious diseases, bone density, number of hospitalizations - and numerous other benefits still being studied ( per National Center for Biotechnology Information ): "Several diseases have shown a correlation with low HGS (hand grip strength), e.g., Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney and liver disease, some cancers, sarcopenia and fragility fractures. The low HSG is also associated with increased hospitalization, n...

 The title of my article may appear sensational (and in error) - but at 6'6' and 223 pounds is once again overweight if you believe in BMI (Body Mass Index) - which I don't! Jaylen has always been - and is now - in great physical shape. At 6'6" and 223 pounds, Brown has a BMI of 25.8, placing him within the "overweight" category . But his draft profile shows him with a body fat percentage of 5.05 % - which places him at the "elite athlete" category . Sounds a lot better. Right? Jaylen overweight? No chance! The above photo reveals a well-muscled, lean, strong athlete , and his performance last season shows the very same.  I love to see the NBA go with body fat percentage as opposed to the outdated Body Mass Index. Jaylen Brown is already back in the Auerbach Center working on his game and his conditioning. The more I learn about this NBA Champ and Finals MVP, the more I love the man and his game.

 The CDC has come out with their latest report on obesity among Americans, and the news remains dreadful. Roughly 40.3% of adults are obese - suggesting a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or greater. Despite the bad news, there are a good number of adults out there who are victims of the BMI charts - which, by the way, are little better than the height/weight charts of yesteryear . I am one of those victims. At 5'8" and 160 pounds , I find myself barely within the "normal" range - and damn close to the "overweight" grouping with a BMI of 24.3 . Yet, my body fat measurements put me in the "fitness" category - even at the age of 80. I have been in the fitness industry for 32 years and have worked with roughly 2,000 clients . My 45 12-week fitness challenges during that period taught me much. I would weigh in folks every two weeks, but more important - I would also measure body fat with calipers. Clients with a relatively-low weight would often show a...

  “Today I will do what others won’t,  so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” You just read it! When I try to talk myself out of my morning 2-mile walk - or my 30-minute strength training session - this is what drives me at 80-plus years of age .  "If you stop doing the difficult things in life, you lose the ability to do them." -- Tom Lane That's it!   I live in a 3-level home and make excuses to climb the stairs repeatedly during the day - so I don't lose the ability to do so . The first-half of my morning walk is mostly uphill, and I do it to keep my heart working at a viable level . The strength training is obviously to stay strong, but also to keep that ":metabolic reservoir" in the event of a traumatic event - and subsequent recovery.  Author at site of Old Man of the Mountain, Cannon Mt., NH The above photo of me - and the humor - was via my daughter, Lisa, four days ago . At 80.5 years of age - and at 5' 8", 159 lbs . - my best frie...

 Call it evolving- or call it adapting - but remaining active and viable past the age of eighty requires a boatload of changes.  "You can't tweak your little finger without your brain initiating the action." -- Tom Lane Everything starts with your brain . Having passed the 80-mark almost two years ago, I spend a good amount of time pondering how I will fill the next day. This is as basic as it gets . Spending eight decades on this earth creates a lot of habits - both good and bad. Lethargy wants to take you out of the action, and it needs to be fought. A lazy lifestyle is a killer and will take you out sooner than later. "Lack of curiosity in older folks separates them from the younger set." -- Tom Lane I learn more from my mistakes and those of others than I do from success. Daily movement is critical. Mental stimulation is vital. Living in the past on previous glories and not getting out of your comfort zone creates a downward slide.  My family members (da...

 Still can not fully comprehend being 80 years old and 32 years-retired from law enforcement. If the following sounds harsh - it was meant to be. I am the love survivor of a family of five - with none of my dad, mom, sister and brother having lived past 64 . My best high school friend died at 62 . My college roommate died a few years ago , and my best adult friend put a.38 special slug through his brain four years ago, leaving behind several million dollars for his "kids" that didn't deserve it. Carson Thomas Lane watching his great grandfather on TV My former boss also took his own life by hanging himself, leaving behind a thriving business that his children had no interest in acquiring. Also, the only business partner I ever had ended his life with an intentional overdose of drugs. Neither ever saw retirement, contented or otherwise. As I write this, the sun is shining into the oceanfront condo where we spend our winters - temperature is in the 60's - I have al...

 This is hard to explain, but the death of certain individuals has such a profound effect on me. The Individuals I am talking about are so special in a positive sense - they can not be replaced on this planet. Lorna Moody was such a person. "No man (or woman) is an island". "Never send to know for whom the bell, tolls. It tolls for thee".-- John Donne Lorna Moody was my friend - and my supporter . She joined me with my work in the fitness field, and she practiced what she preached. She was physically powerful, with a superb physique. But most of all, she was gentle and kind - one lovely individual. Her worst-kept secret was that she was gay. Lorna (or "Moody" as many friends called her) felt that knowledge of this might endanger her career as a physical education teacher. She may not have realized her high value as an educator would negate any thoughts of a school board taking her away from the students that adored her. Lorna J. Moody passed away at the a...

 My wife and I recently walked in to Anytime Fitness in Pawleys Island, SC, to join for three months with their "former" Snowbird" membership - only to be told the gym had changed hands and that temporary deal was no longer available. This was the same facility for which I had written a very-positive review the previous year. No longer. The monthly cost had risen to roughly $90.00/month for each of us - meaning a total of $540.00 for the three months. No way! On to Planet Fitness down the highway. We had been members a few years ago, and we joined for a total of $25.00/month - knowing that cancelling upon leaving the South would be easy .  The business plan of Planet Fitness is to charge low money ($10.00/month) which comes out of members' checking accounts. Many gym members join and then stop going, but for so little money, most "quitters" will not cancel. That works so well for dedicated "gym rats" .  Planet Fitness isn't for everyone ....

Clint Eastwood:    "Every day when I wake up, I don't let the old man in. My secret has been the same since 1959: staying busy. I never let the old man into the house. I've had to drag him out because he was already comfortably settled, bothering me all the time, leaving no space for anything other than nostalgia. You have to stay active, alive, happy, strong, and capable. It's in us, in our intelligence, attitude, and mentality. We are young, regardless of our ID. We must learn to fight to not let the old man in." Amen to that. As I near 80 years of age, I remain physically and mentally active - short hikes, yard work, weight lifting, writing about pro basketball and life, improving my basement gym, learning about wild foods - and generally eating and supplementing to stay fit, strong and healthy. I have worked as a research engineer, game warden, police officer, personal trainer, weight management consultant - and now spend a lot of time doing online researc...

 Several days ago, I witnessed an older man become airborne in a gym as he tripped over an object - hitting the floor hard enough to break some ribs. It was his second serious accident in the gym in the short period of time after joining. H e broke one of the prime rules of survival - in gyms and the world, generally. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS One other quick point about gyms. With weight-management time right around the corner, remember that endless cardio (treadmill, elliptical, etc.) won't get you lighter and leaner. It is a poor use of your time and energy. Alter your nutrition to lose weight and uise the gym for overall health and well-being. 

 You were born weak, frail and afraid. Don't end up that way. If my memory served me correctly, some form of the above quote was part of an old ad for a protein supplement. It got my attention.  Just Google the term "sarcopenia" and you will find a wealth of information on the effects of losing muscle as you get older. This Harvard Health piece is only one of many on the subject. The point is simple, but the process of maintaining - and certainly building - muscle is not . It can be difficult, but worth the effort.  It has been a year since I underwent a surgical procedure to replace my aortic valve . I went into the hospital in great shape for someone 78 years old , but I had to curtail most of my exercise prior to the operation and had lost some strength and muscle mass. By the way, I had ZERO symptoms from the severe plugging of the artery with calcium, but my surgeon told me that my first symptom may be to drop dead. Predators prey on the weak-old-and-frail. Not j...

 Author's Note: This is the first of an undetermined number of thoughts from a guy who turns 80 on his next birthday.  "When you stop moving, your body shuts down!" --- Tom Lane I watched as both my dad and brother retired early and gradually moved less and less as the years passed. Both died at the age of 64 . My father died of ALS, which may have been unpreventatble, but my brother, Don, died of heart failure.  My granddaughter, Courtney, was born with cystic fibrosis and died at the age of 25 . I often pestered her into moving more to remain as healthy as possible, just as I had with Don. Both reuttered my movement/body shut-down axiom a few times, but never followed it. They both should have lived longer. My mom and sister passed away at 48 and 19 years of age , respectively. They were unlucky - with my mother contracting cancer and my sister dieing of MS. I have weathered both cancer and heart disease but have (thus far) beaten both. We were born to move. I preac...

  Time, comfort and curiosity - their profound affect on aging "Time seems to stand quite still In a child's world it always will"   "Morning. Another morning" by The Moody Blues The  days for a child pass quickly  but the years pass like a slow-moving freight train. As an adult, I want the same.  Time , or at least our perception of it,  can be controlled . Here is  Scientific American's James M. Broadway  on the subject: “Where did the time go?” middle-aged and older adults often remark. Many of us feel that time passes more quickly as we age, a perception that can lead to regrets. According to psychologist and BBC columnist Claudia Hammond, “the sensation that time speeds up as you get older is one of the biggest mysteries of the experience of time.” "Engaging in a novel exploit makes time appear to pass more quickly in the moment. But if we remember that activity later on, it will seem to have lasted longer than more mundane experiences." Tha...

I picked up a 3-month membership at Anytime Fitness (ATF), Pawleys Island, South Carolina after doing some research.  My 31 years in the fitness field helped me find the (near)-perfect gym, not only for seniors - just just about anyone. Why? 1.) It's close. Only a 4-minute drive with busy traffic makes it much tougher to talk my self out of going. 2.) It's complete. My goals are to regain strength and muscle lost when I was told to stop all exercise prior to an aortic heart valve replacement. This gym has everything I need for those goals. 3.) No duct tape. What the Hell does that mean? Duct tape on the machine and bench pads is a sign of a gym heading downhill. This gym has none. 4.) No pool. Pools take up space - are a pain-in-the-ass to maintain - smell of chlorine - and except for lap swimming, are not effective producers of a fit physique. 5.) No group fitness space. This gym got rid of it. Good move. I won't apologize to the aerobics devotees. 6.) Courteous me...

  Gyms are intimidating to seniors - prove you belong As I write this, my wife, Linda, and I are spending the winter in South Carolina as I approach my  74th birthday . Our permanent home is in the  North Country of New Hampshire , but it is too damn cold to stay there. I am a former  Research Enginee r,  Police Lieutenant/Investigator  and present  Health Coach/Personal Trainer . My background is diverse, and my professional and life experience will be combined into all of my blog posts. While avoiding purposely offending anyone,  I will be direct . We joined a gym down here upon arrival and go there most days of the week. Monday was Martin Luther King day, and our gym was mobbed. The place is huge, but I could hardly move in there without getting bumped. I have worked in health clubs for the past 25 years, and it often occurs to me that many of these people, a large portion of which are seniors, don't belong here. Not yet. Don't get me wrong, be...

 From "Average" body fat (25%) to Elite Athlete (16.0%) in 14 weeks!  She (name withheld) pleaded with me to help get her back to a high level of fitness this past summer. The 56-year-old lady was up to 174 pounds, and as a ski instructor, that wasn't going to fly come winter. She had already achieved a loss of 12 pounds when we started: Starting weight: 162.2 lbs. Starting body fat: 25.0% (Average) Ending weight: 145.6 lbs. Ending body fat: 16.0% (Elite Athlete) She was part of a small group of three individuals . They worked with me on strength training two times per week, but most important - they all restricted calories on a plan that has worked so well for so many of my clients. They all lost weight and body fat - while maintaining muscle mass and bone density (lean mass).  All three clients accomplished their fitness goals during the holiday season. Not easy. But the hard part started with their departure this morning from my gym. Maintaining their fitness level...

  New day - new beginning . Morning is a vital key to health, fitness and mental well-being . Eschewing the flawed idea that a king's breakfast and pauper's supper is best for everybody, here's my case for the opposite stance. Imagine you are a kid at an amusement park , and your mom has given you only so much money for the day. Spend most of it early in the day, and you are set for a miserable time in the afternoon . You get the analogy. Protein and vegetables get you leaner . I go with one or two eggs, into which I throw canned spinach, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, etc. One egg is only about 80 calories, and the veggies and fungus are almost a non-factor in the calorie count.  My breakfast this morning was one scrambled egg, mushrooms and one link of turkey sausage cut up into the pan. Calories? Maybe as much as 120. With two eggs, it would be 200 - w/3 eggs, it gets to 280. Still under 300 calories. I will follow with a 100-calorie whey protein shake after my worko...